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As Jesus draws closer to the cross, he openly confesses that his soul is in turmoil — not from doubt, but from the weight of what he knows is coming. Dr. John Neufeld walks us through this remarkable passage, showing that the cross is far more than a moment of suffering: it is the judgment of the world, the defeat of Satan, and the magnetic power that draws people from every nation to Christ.

Passion: Easter is a pivotal time in the life of a Christian. The foundation of our faith relies on the death and more importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. This 15-message series will prepare our hearts for the Easter season as Dr. Neufeld walks us through the various aspects of the time leading up to Jesus’ death. Talking about the stories of Jesus in the week leading up to his death, also known as Passion week, ought to awaken our own passion of service, thankfulness, and worship. This is a series you won’t want to miss!

Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callway, "Prison Chess Champ." Enjoy!

Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll as he explains “the day of the Lord” from 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.

From the Series: Contagious Christianity

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Despite the hymns we sing, many people think they can earn their way into heaven if their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds. Replace your good deeds with the Good News—your salvation was accomplished on the cross. It’s simply a gift. All you have to do is accept it.

"Ever feel like you’re sharing a calendar… but not your heart? You work the same mission, manage the same chaos—yet something’s off. You're emotionally distant, but it's subtle. Polite. Growing.

Show Notes and Resources

• Explore FamilyLife marriage resources, including the Art of Marriage video series: Get the leader kit, workbooks, or stream at familylife.com/art-of-marriage or through RightNow Media.
• Get your copy of Vertical Marriage: The One Secret That Will Change Your Marriage by Dave and Ann Wilson in our shop.
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• Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom.

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When you're little, your parents seem immortal. They're not. Sooner or later, most of us get the kind of call that I got, and maybe you've gotten - a parent is gone. In my case, the hospital called to say my Mom had been admitted due to a medical emergency, but her body gave out and she was gone. No matter what the circumstances, the death of someone you love is always a shock, even if you knew maybe it was coming. When you're the only living child and your other parent is already gone, there's this numbing list of arrangements that you suddenly have to make. Thankfully, that wasn't the case with my Mom. Mercifully, funeral arrangements had been made and paid for years in advance.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Most Important Arrangements You Will Ever Make."

It was a real blessing to have funeral arrangements made in advance, believe me. But my mother had made much more important pre-arrangements for the day she died, and those arrangements were the greatest blessing of all. Years ago, my Mom had made a choice that guaranteed she would be in heaven for all eternity. These are the most important arrangements you will ever make - or fail to make.

God knows we're so busy living that we don't give much thought to dying. In fact, we generally try to avoid thinking about death as much as possible. Until we're looking in the casket at someone we've just lost. It's hard to look face-to-face at death like that and not think, "Where will I be when it's me there?" This isn't about being morbid. It's about being ready. If I know I'm prepared for something that's coming up, I don't have to keep thinking about it. It's settled. There's nothing more critical for you to settle than your eternal destination. Avoiding those arrangements carries a price too high to pay.

That's why the Bible says in Amos 4:12-13, our word for today from the Word of God, "Prepare to meet your God...He who forms the mountains, creates the wind...and treads the high places of the earth - the Lord God Almighty is His name." It is this awesome God who will decide when you and I will take our last breath; when eternity will begin for each and every one of us. The Bible says that you and I actually have an appointment with our Creator - the time when the old-timers used to say you "meet your Maker." God's Book says, "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). A divine appointment, the nearness of which we cannot know, and judgment for every wrong thing we have ever done.

When you face God, it's too late then to make your arrangements. That's got to be done here and now. So many people think they'll get to heaven by being good. They're wrong - they're eternally wrong. The Bible clearly explains: "It is by grace (that's undeserved love) that you have been saved, through faith - and this...is the gift of God - not by works" (Ephesians 2:8-9). All our good can't possibly cancel our sin because sin has this eternal death penalty, and a death penalty cannot be paid by somebody doing good. Somebody's got to die, and someone did. Jesus did - so you don't have to. Your only hope is grabbing Him like a drowning person would grab a rescuer.

If you've never done that, you are not (in the Bible's words) "prepared to meet your God." But you can be, beginning today. You can actually know from this moment on that you are going to heaven when you die, because the sin that would keep you out of heaven has been forever forgiven by the One who died for that sin. Your spiritual rescue begins the moment you say, "Jesus, I'm putting my total trust in You and what You did on the cross for me. I'm Yours."

Our website is basically there to help you be sure you belong to Jesus. Let me give you that web address. It's

Read: Matthew 5:44-48; Ephesians 4:32

“No, not Amie! Now we’re really gonna lose!”

The entire team sighed in unison as Amie approached the plate and waited for the kickball. She hadn’t felt well all morning, and now the weight of her teammates’ disgust seemed to make her insides churn even more. Just as the teacher was about to roll the ball, Amie gasped. “Mrs. Anderson! I have to—”

It was too late. She threw up all over home plate as both teams squealed and retreated. Tears streaming down her face, Amie stumbled to the restroom as Mrs. Anderson tried to corral the howling class.

Since nobody was available to come pick up Amie, she had to wait and ride the school bus home. No one asked to sit with her. As she looked out the window, her mind replayed the words of her classmates over and over.

“Amie will make us lose.”

“Who picked her?”

“You mean you’re gonna stay the rest of the day and make us all sick?”

Amie knew it was wrong, but part of her wanted to see them get hurt. She imagined some of the meanest kids throwing up all over the principal and getting suspended.

Shaking her head, she tried to dismiss her vengeful feelings. But instead, more memories flooded her mind of all the times her classmates had ignored her or purposefully humiliated her.

“Jesus,” she whispered, “I want to forgive them. But they don’t even care that they’ve hurt me. How can I love people who like seeing me sad?”

Immediately the Bible verse she’d read that morning came to her mind. Pray for them.

Amie gulped. “Really, Jesus? Did You just say to pray for them?”

The verse repeated in her mind. Pray for them.

Still feeling angry, Amie leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the window and squeezed her eyes shut. Dear Jesus, please bless my classmates. Help them do well on their tests and in kickball, and please don’t let any of them get sick. Please help me forgive them as you’ve forgiven me so I can show them Your love. In Your name, amen.

Amie opened her eyes and smiled. Jesus was helping her forgive.

–Rebekah Love Dorris

How about you? Have you ever wondered how to forgive people who don’t seem sorry for hurting you? Forgiveness isn’t a feeling—it’s an action. One of the best ways to begin forgiving others is to pray for them. Try praying the same things for your enemies you’d want someone to pray for you. Then thank Jesus for forgiving you for your sin and for empowering you to forgive others.

Today's Key Verse: But I [Jesus] say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Pray for your enemies

Dr. Stanley explains who Christ is, why He had to die, and why we must accept Him as our Savior to be reconciled to God.

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My niece, a college freshman, was busy with schoolwork and adjusting to a new residence. Because of recent security issues, her school required a vehicle pass. Since applying for this would be one more task on her long to-do list, I offered to do it. “Thanks!” she later said, surprised it had taken me only minutes in the campus office.

What she didn’t know was that the otherwise simple task had taken half a day of coordinating with the office, fixing a glitch in her application, and gathering unexpected documents. But I didn’t tell her this. “Anytime!” I said.

Love is in the details. Here, it was in taking care of details my niece was unaware of. Scripture tells us of God’s love as seen in two seemingly small details of the Israelites’ life in the wilderness: their clothes and shoes. Throughout forty years of walking, their “clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on [their] feet” (Deuteronomy 29:5). In fact, their feet didn’t even swell! (8:4).

God’s people had been unfaithful, but He showed “great compassion,” not abandoning them (Nehemiah 9:19). “They lacked nothing” (v. 21). God provided the “big” things, such as His presence, the counsel of His Spirit, and food and water (vv. 19-20); and the “smaller” but necessary things, such as clothes and shoes.  

God shows His love in ways we may overlook or be unaware of. Such is His love that He sees every detail of our life.